The present invention relates generally to an improved spinning reel, and more particularly to an improved drag arrangement for an open-face spinning reel structure.
Traditionally, open-face spinning reels are provided with a line spool which is mounted on a spindle shaft and arranged for rotation thereabout. A drag assembly is provided for controllably resisting the free rotation of the line spool upon the spindle shaft, and a drag adjustment knob is normally provided to adjust the magnitude of the force applied to the drag assembly, and thus the resistance to free rotation of the line spool upon the spindle shaft. In the ordinary spinning reels, the drag adjustment knob may be pre-set to a desired position on the spindle shaft, however this absolute disposition is frequently lost as soon as relative rotation occurs between the drag adjustment knob and the face of the line spool. Therefore, once the fisherman has calibrated the force available for a particular drag knob adjustment setting, he is not able to quickly alter this setting to achieve a different drag adjustment. This is due to the fact that an absolute indicator is unavailable on the face of the reel, and hence any re-adjustment must be undertaken primarily by emperical means. The drag assembly means of the present invention provides a system wherein the fisherman may modify the drag setting in a controllable fashion, and upon modification of the setting, achieve a reasonable degree of certainty as to the absolute frictional force necessary to rotate the line spool on the spindle shaft.